Stair construction



0er. 13, 1925. 1,551,287 A. s. HUGHES l snm CONSTRUCTION Filed April 21, 1922 A f a lATTORNEY Patented @et 13, 1925.

UNITED STATE ARTHUR SHERIDAN HUGHES, OF lMANSFIEIA), OHIO.

STAIR CONSTRUCTION.

Application `filed April 21, 1922.

T 0 all whom t may conce/m.'

Be it-known that I, ARTHUR S. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfieldq in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stair Constructions, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to stair construction, particularly to that type embodying metallic tread and riser members which are interengaged, and which have associated therewith a filling of plastic material, and it has for its object the provision of a novel connection between the tread and riser elements, the front edge of the tread member being formed to receive a nose piece which is shaped to retain in position a strip or block of some suitable material, which will constitute an anti-slipping means.

Another object is the provision of a stair construction in which the upper 'edge of the riser is formed to define the nose piece, or in which the nose piece may be a separate element of angular formation, in either instance the nose piece serving to retain the non-slipping material in position, and also operating as a lock forpreventing disengagement of the tread and riser members.

An additional object is the provision of a stair construction, which will provide rigidity and strength and consequently reduce the likelihood of any collapsing of the structure which might result from a separation of the parts.

The construction, mountin and operation of the structure will be readi y comprehended from a study of the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, though it is to be distinctly understood that the detailed disclosure is merely an exempliiication of a few of the forms of the invention, and that I reserve the right to adapt many variations and make such moditications as will widen the field of its usefulness, provided always that such changes involve no departure from the salient features ofthe invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure lis a cross sectional view showing onev form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a second form;

Figure 3 is a sectional view through a third modification;

Serial I No. 555,909.

Figure 4 is a similar view of a fourth form;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough Figure 6 is a cross sectional view through a fifth modification;

Figure 7 is a similar view of a sixth form.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and especially to Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates the tread member and 11 the riser of a stair construction of the type in which the tread proper is formed of plastic material indicated at 12. The tread member and riser are formed of one piece in separate sections as disclosed in my companion application filed of even date herewith. In this type of stair construction there is ordinarily provided a stay rod or bolt 13 which extends transversely of the stair stringers, and which supports the steps at the juncture of the treads 10 with the risers 11.,`

In carrying out the present inventionuI form the free edge of the tread member 10 with an upwardly extending flange or wall 14, which terminates in an inturn'ed flange l5 bent backwardly at an acute angle. The riser 11 is formed with a horizontal shelf or portion 16 which engages the underside of the tread 10, this horizontal portion having formed thereon a vertical wall or portion 17 which constitutes the front face of the step, and engages against the vertical flange 14 of the tread member 10.` The vertical wall or portion 17 merges into a nose piece 18 which is formed with a channel or recess 19 and has its bottom acutely inclined, as shown, and resting upon and engaging the inclined iiange 15. It will be observed that the inclination of these contacting members will serve to lock the tread and riser members together, and it is of course apparent that in the assembling of the structure the risers and tread members must be engaged and disengaged by relative lateral sliding movement.

Disposed Within the channel 19 is a strip or block 20 of some suitable non-slipping material such as rubber, lead, or in fact any one of a wide variety of compositions which might be found suitable, itv being of course preferable that the cost of this material be low so that replacement of a worn out step may be made without prohibitive expense. The plastic material 12 is flushwith the top surface of the nose piece but the non-slipping strip extends slightly thereabove, as shown. Instead of a channel and strip, a series of sockets and filling material therein may be employed, as shown in my companion application previously referred to.

In Figure 2 the. tread member l0 is inclined downwardly toward the front edge of the step beginning at the supporting point of the stay rod 13, this inclined portion being designated by the numeral 22. The riser Il is likewise formed With a correspondingly inclined shelt or potrion 16a. In this instance, the vertical Wall o-r portion lll:L of the tread member terminates in a flange l5 Which is horizontal, in contradistinction to the inclination of the flange l5 .of the first described form, and the channel 19al of the nose piece which is formed at the upper edge of the vertical Wall or portion 17a of the riser has its bottom likewise horizontal and engaging the flange 15a. It is observed that the interlocking connection in this form is enhanced by the inclination of the portions 22 and 16a.

In Figure 3 the tread member 23 is formed at its front edge with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined locking flange or portion 29, which terminates in a vertical flange 30, and this inclined flange or portion 29 is formed With a plurality of holes 3l to receive the plastic material forming the tread surface. The nose piece 32, which is formed integral with the riser 28, is provided with the channel 34e which lcontains the nonslipping material or strip, and is also formed with a downwardly extending flange 35, which cooperates with the adjacent side of the channel portion to define a recess Which receives the vertical flange 30.thereby constituting an interlocking connection between the tread and riser.

In vFigures a and 5 I have shown a comF bination of the features illustrated in Fig ures I and 2, the difference being that the intur-ned flange l5" formed at `the forward edge of the tread member l01J is provided With holes which regi-ster with holes formed in the channel 19b and said holes receive the stems Al1 of buttons or pins l2 which are embedded Within and carried by the strip o1- non-slipping material 20,. In this instance the interlocking connection is -provided by the engagement of these buttons with the holes.

In Figure 6 the tread member 43 tenminate's at the front edge of the step a vertical flange lll, which is engaged by a vertical flange t5 formed on the riser 4,6, both yof these flanges being of the same length. This form differs from all of the previously described forms in that the nose piece 4-7, "while shaped like the other nose pieces, is formed as a :separate element. This nose'piece has .a `channel 48 Within which is disposed .the non-slipping filling or material 20, and is also formed With a depending flange which cooperates with the adjacent side of the channel 4S to define a pocketto receive the upper edges of' the flanges all and Ll5 so as to constitute the interlocking connection. In this form of the device, the treads and risers need not be engaged by a lateral sliding movementas in the previously described forms, for the nose piece locks the tread and riser together.

In Figure 7 the tread member 10c is of the same construction as in Figure 2, as is also the major port-ion ot' the riser Il". In this instance, however, lthe nose piece is formed differently, it consisting of a depending vertical flange 52 at vthe upper edge. ot that portion of the riser which constitutes the edge of the step, and also an angularly shaped separate strip, Whichincludes a channel 53 having an upstanding flange 54 engaged beneath the overhanging flange 52 which forms an interlocking connection.

In all the modilications shown it Will be observed that there is a metallic nose piece formed with a .channel for holding a strip of nonfslipping material, which will insure the safety of the users of the stair case. It is furthermore to be noted that in all the forms regardless of Whether the nose piece be separate from or integral with the riser, and interlocking connection is provided which will operate to hold together the tread member and the riser in such a Way as to positively prevent any relative displacement, and consequently make a strong structure which will be highly advantageous 1n use.

IVI at is claimed is:

l. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread, each formed of one lpiece in separate sections overlapped and interlocked at their front edges so as to form .a nose for the step having a double thickness, the riser being provided with `a rearward continuation constituting a nose piece, said nose piece being formed Wit-hpa channel, and a strip of nonslipping mate-v rial Within the channel and projecting above the surface .of the nose piece.

In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each formed ot' one piece in separate ksections overlapped and -interlocked at their front edges so as zto form a nose for *the step having a double thickness, ka tread vtace of plastic material on the tread member, a nose piece located at the free edge of the step and `formed with a channel, and a filling of non-slipping inaterial Within said channel projecting above 'the .surface of the nose piece, said nose piece being partially embedded in the material ,of the .tread tace substantially flush With'the top surface.

3. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each formed of one piece in separate sections overlapped and interlocked at their front edges so as to form a nose for the step having a. double thickness, a nose piece located at the free edge of the step and formed with a channel, a filling of non-slipping material within said channel projecting above the 'surface of the nose piece, said nose piece coacting to further the interlocking of the tread member and riser.

e. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and -a 'tread member, each formed of one piece in separate sections overlapped and interlocked at their 'front edges soA as to form a nose for the step having a double thickness, and a nose piece located at the front edge ofl the step and carrying nonslipping material, the nose piece being formed integrally with the riser.

In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each having interlitting upstanding flanges at the front of the step cooperating to form the nose, and a nose piece extended beyond the nose and cooperating with said flanges to interlock lthe tread and riser together.

6. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each having interfitting upstanding flanges in contacting overlapped relation, a nose piece, and an inturned flange at 'the top of the upstanding flange of the tread member, said inturned flange engaging with the nose piece to form an interlocking connection.

7. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each having upstanding flanges, the riser and tread member each formed of one piece in separate sections with the flanges interfitted and interlocked forming a double thickness at the nose, a nose piece formed integral with the riser and extending rearwardly and'having non-slipping material held therein, a plastic filling for the tread member, and an inturned flange at the top of the upstanding flange of the tread member, 'said inturned flange engaging with the underside of the nose piece 'to interlock therewith.

8. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each having upstanding flanges, a plastic tread on said tread member, a nose piece integral with the riser and extending inwardly over the tread member, said nose piece having a depending channel 'to receive non-slipping material and being partially embedded with the channel in the plastic tread, an inturned flange provided on the upstanding flange of the tread member to engage the underside of the channel, and additional locking means between the bottom channel and 'said inturned flange.

9. In a stair construction, a step including a riser and a tread member, each having ing upstanding flanges, a nose piece integral with the riser and extending inwardly over the tread member, said nose piece having a depending channel to receive non-slipping material, an inturned flange provided on the yond the flange thereof over the tread member and spaced therefrom, a plastic filling forming the tread in said space, and an inturned flange provided on the tread member to engage the underside of the nose piece and forni an additional lock.

11. In a stair construction, the steps made up of separate sections, each section including a riser and a tread member, the tread member of one section being connected to the riser of the adjacent section by an interlocking connection, the tread member having at its front end an upstanding flange and an inturned flange, and the riser having a horizontal shelf with an upstanding flange and an inturned flange, the said flanges being open at the sides to allow for the insertion of the tread member laterally within the ris-er where the parts are held in interlccked relation, the inturned flange of the riser being continued to form a nose piece and provided with a channel to receive nonslipping material, and the inturned flange of the tread member engaging with the underside of the channel to provide an additional lock for 'the elements.

In testimony, that I claim the -foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

ARTHUR SHERIDAN HUGHES. 

